I got a 6,4% raise! Philip Morris has increased its dividend!

My dad used to smoke, my mom used to smoke, my brother and even his wife used to smoke. My ex used to smoke. Many of my friends used to smoke or even still smoke. Half of my colleagues are smokers…

I’m sorry but cigarette makes them stink. And when they mix that smell with coffee… dude!

Worst, I even lost my grand-father over cancer and pulmonary emphysema as a consequence of bad smoking habits.

But, since I became a shareholder of Philip Morris, suddenly I love smokers! And now that the company has raised its dividend by 6,4%, I love them even more! When was the last time you got a 6,4% raise by your employer?

Actually, I got 6,4% raise every year for the past 7 years, but because I took several promotions, not because I stayed in the same position where I would have gotten a 1% raise (under inflation raise). But, that’s the subject of another post…

Please world, keep smoking! It’s cool and fun. You can make new friends by borrowing a lighter and you can look amazing like the Marlboro cowboy.

Okay, I honestly think that smoking is bad. We all know it gives cancer and health problem. But, I also think that people are free to take their own decisions. Everybody knows that smoking is bad so if they keep smoking then it is partly their problem? Isn’t it? Well… That’s what people like to tell themselves to feel better when they do bad behaviors…

Is it responsible to encourage people to smoke? Probably not. But I honestly think that corporations are the worst creation of the humankind and I still work for one and buy everyday from corporations so I decided I should be fully part of the system and invest in them too… At least, I might be able to retire early! 🙂

Philip Morris is popular among dividend growth investors and for a reason. Its dividend is juicy (4.72%) and its dividend increase record impressive! We all know though that cigarette companies are evolving in a difficult market. Smokers are decreasing in western countries (and increasing in China). There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the possible regulations that governments might put in place to restrain the use of cigarette even more and affect the capabilities of such companies to continue to pay sustainable and increasing dividends.

Still, Philip Morris is currently doing very well and is in good financial health. I am pleased to be a shareholder based on a capitalist point of view even though my good guy side sometime feels that I shouldn’t be part of that industry…

Do you own Philip Morris stock? Are you pleased with the recent dividend increase?

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://quityourdayjob101.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ID-10050051.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hi, my name is Allan. I’m the masked blogger. Like you I’m a modern slave, prisoner of a 9@5 job in Corporate America. They told us when we were young that we would live in a society of leisure and that technology would permit us to work only a couple of hours per day. But we live in a society of stress and uncertainty. My situation could be a lot worse and I know it. So many humans are suffering on this planet. But a golden cage remains a cage anyway. At least, I have an escape plan. I will retire before 45 years old over my passive income. This is a dream that is so powerful that I will make sure it happens. To build my wealth, I mainly invest in undervalued dividend growth stocks. [/author_info] [/author]

About The Author

Hi, my name is Allan. I'm 33 years old and I live in Canada, one of the best but one of the coldest country in the world! I'm the masked blogger. Like you I'm a modern slave, prisoner of a 9@5 job in Corporate America. But, I have an escape plan. I will retire before my 45th birthday over my passive income. This is a dream that is so powerful that I will make sure it comes true. To build my wealth, I invest in undervalued dividend growth stocks. Follow me! We will retire early! We will retire rich!

2 Comments

I’m not a fan of smoking either but that doesn’t stop me from investing in tobacco companies. It’s always nice when a raise comes your way from one of your investments. I always say to those who oppose tobacco companies to invest in them and donate the dividends they collect to anti-smoking causes. In any case, thanks for sharing this news.DivHut recently posted…Recent Stock Purchase II â September 2014

09/19/2014

Allan

Hi Divhut,

Ahah 🙂 Great advice but I won’t donate my dividends.

I’ll add more to my cigarette stocks position eventually for sure. It provides a nice dividend stream. But it’s a mostly declining industry and there’s a lot of governement pressure on these companies so… I don’t want to be too much at risk either…

I’m happy about the raise. But I would have expected a higher dividend raise even though 6.4% is still good. I was looking for a 8% raise here.

The same happened with MCD… lower dividend raise than I was expecting.

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